If you regularly walk, run or cycle past Bowen Park on Lake Burley Griffin on a Saturday or Sunday, you have likely had the pleasure of seeing or meeting 31-year-old Simon the Bike Guy.

Whether it is tuning up bikes on the spot in his pop-up tent (for whatever people want to pay), playing his guitar in between jobs, or even riding his large-wheeled penny farthing for everyone’s entertainment, Simon seems to have found a winning formula for all kinds of success.

And hot on the heels of his fourth consecutive championship win at the Evandale Penny Farthing Championships in February this year, Simon is about to take on yet another challenge.

This Easter Saturday, 4 April, Simon will attempt the Guinness World Record for greatest distance travelled on a penny farthing in one hour (outdoor, male). The event will take place at Brad Haddin Oval in Queanbeyan Park from 9am to 1pm.

“I’m thrilled to be staging the event at my local oval, which also has the perfect surface for penny farthings,” says Simon.

So how did this bike mechanic and former high-level age-group triathlete find himself both riding penny farthings and spending so much time at Bowen Park each weekend?

“After working as a bike mechanic for many years in bike stores, I realised that bike mechanics were being run off their feet, due to costs like rent,” says Simon.

“So, about four years ago, I decided to start a mobile service where I go to bike owners’ homes instead.

“The pop-up tent was initially a marketing strategy to get my name out there and drive people back to my mobile business.”

Four years on, Simon is still showing up at Bowen Park to provide on-the-spot emergency repairs and tune-ups.

“I decided to help people, person by person, and it just took off,” he says.

“Since then, I’ve fixed bikes for everyone from Canberra’s homeless to the Governor General.”

Simon credits Irene Lemon via the Canberra Innovation Network with coining his business name, “Simon the Bike Guy”.

Part of Simon’s success is also likely due to his fee structure, which is basically what customers think, “…is fair”, he says.

“I tell people what a bike shop is likely to charge, and then just ask them to pay what they would like,” he says.

Perhaps due to this goodwill, and as Simon says, “…the generosity of Canberrans”. Simon does not appear to have any problem making ends meet.

“Things just pay forward,” he says.

“I remember I fixed one guy’s bike who was very apologetic that he didn’t have any cash on him at the time, which I never mind at all.”

“But then he appeared six months later with a $50 note.”

It doesn’t hurt that Simon is nifty on the guitar, something that also seems to be amassing a little fan base of its own.

“There is a nice group of about thirty locals who come down just for the music, which is really great,” he says.

“The funny thing is that I am coincidentally drawn to the music that corresponds with the penny farthing era!”

And on his interest in penny farthing bikes themselves, Simon says that it started as another way to engage people in conversation.

“And this ended up being extremely successful too,” he says.

“I then started to ride the bike more and thought, ‘ This is really fun!’”

Later, Simon discovered the Tasmanian races and began competing and winning!

“Since then, I’ve been invited to all kinds of things, including to Hong Kong to work with the Asia Penny Farthing Association ( APFA), and an entrepreneur, April Fong,” he says.

So if you also find these 19th-century bikes fascinating, Simon would love to see you on Saturday as he attempts the record.

The gold coin donation event will also include mini penny farthing races (please bring your own helmet!), and other family activities.

Food will also be available on site.

Simon would like to give his Mum, Joanne a shout out too, for helping with the event and basically “…being such a great influence”, he says.

What else does Simon love about being Simon the Bike Guy?

“One thing I’ve learned through going to people’s homes and fixing their bikes is seeing the same kinds of things in the corners of people’s garages,” he says.

“Really, we all have so much in common.”